


New Flowers and Old Memories

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Community: trope_bingo, Fluff, Hair Brushing, Heart Flower AU, M/M, Old Married Couple, Orochimaru is Kakashi's Mama, Soulmates, Trope Bingo Round 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22488286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: A warm evening for a pair of devoted mates, like so many shared in a lifetime together.
Relationships: Hatake Sakumo/Orochimaru
Comments: 25
Kudos: 145
Collections: Trope Bingo Round 14, Trope Bingo: Round Fourteen, Valentine's Spectacular (2020)





	New Flowers and Old Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my annual Valentine's Spectacular fluffy soulmate project, featuring an AU I created for my very first one several years ago!
> 
> It also marks off the space 'marriage' on my [Trope Bingo board](https://kalira.dreamwidth.org/24550.html).

Sakumo peeked through the open door into his cub’s bedroom as he passed by, then paused, cocking his head, surprised. He took only a moment before reaching out and closing the door quietly, continuing on his way with a thoughtful hum.

He found his mate sitting by the bureau in their own bedroom, a book propped open against a snoozing python atop it, which Orochimaru was reading as he ran a brush through his hair. By the look of it, he’d probably become distracted by the book and been brushing for some time, his hair sleek and smooth under the absent strokes of the brush.

Sakumo crossed to his side, gently pulling the brush from his hand, and he hummed, leaning back a little. “Hello, my heart.” Orochimaru said, voice low and lazy.

Sakumo smiled and bent to kiss his mate’s brow. “Hello lovely.” He put the brush down and brought his hands up beneath Orochimaru’s long hair, fingers combing through it easily. Orochimaru sighed, closing his eyes and leaning into Sakumo’s touch as he rubbed his knuckles against the nape of his mate’s neck and let the silken weight of Orochimaru’s hair slip through his fingers.

A low rumble caught in Sakumo’s throat as his caresses grew longer and slower, enjoying both the feel of Orochimaru against him and his mate’s lazy contentment at his hands. His eyes strayed to the vibrant purple bloom on the tansu beside them, and the spiky white moonflower beside it, and he smiled fondly, heart feeling achily tight.

“I noticed something in Kakashi’s room this evening.” Sakumo said after a moment, the sight fresh in his mind as he kept his eyes on their Flowers.

Orochimaru hummed lazily in curious response.

“Our cub has acquired a branch of dogwood blooms.” Sakumo observed, smiling faintly. Kakashi had been curled up with the branch, full of bright blooms - white petals tinted faintly with pale green - all but cuddled into his chest. “He appears to be sleeping with them.” he added, rubbing his palm over the nape of Orochimaru’s neck.

He startled, sitting up a little and turning towards Sakumo. “What?”

“I also note there is no orchid in his room.” Sakumo said softly, watching his mate’s surprise deepen.

“Oh.” Orochimaru blinked, a thoughtful look shading his eyes. Sakumo toyed with his hair, then rubbed a thumb behind one of his ears, moving a little closer. Sakumo smiled as he saw his mate’s gaze stray, as his own had, towards their own Flowers lying atop the tansu. “Dogwood, you say. . .”

Sakumo hummed in agreement, toying with one heavy lock of his mate’s hair. “He hasn’t said anything,” he paused; Kakashi hadn’t said anything that would seem to be about a possible mate at all, really, “but he seems. . .”

Sakumo remembered what he had seen with a faint smile. His cub - now mostly grown; as tall as Sakumo and looking even more like him than he had as a child, though slender and lanky, and still so capable of showing his mother’s sharp side when warranted - curled around the flowers Sakumo was so sure were someone’s Heart Flower so protectively, so closely. . .

“You think you know who it belongs to?” Sakumo asked, watching the all but unreadable play of thoughts showing in his mate’s expression.

“Mm. . . I think . . . perhaps.” Orochimaru said, and rose from his chair, turning towards Sakumo and stepping close. “I think Kakashi will tell us soon, though. Don’t you?” he asked with a sharply expectant look, golden eyes all but glowing in the low light.

Sakumo stroked his jaw and kissed him, unable to resist his lovely, beloved mate, and Orochimaru laughed against his mouth, hands sliding up his sides to wrap him in an embrace. Sakumo rumbled happily and let his free arm settle around his mate’s waist as his fingers wound once more into Orochimaru’s thick hair.

Orochimaru leaned into his embrace, mouth softening from a smile to sweetly inviting warmth under his kiss. He nipped gently, and Sakumo shivered, tightening his embrace and pressing closer against his mate in return.

He pulled away with a low laugh as Orochimaru’s fingertips skipped up over his neck, just firmly enough not to tickle. Orochimaru smiled at him again, nuzzling affectionately.

“Let me do something with this.” Orochimaru tugged at his hair, still loose and wet from his bath. Sakumo growled softly and nipped his mate’s jaw, letting himself be pushed down to take the chair from which Orochimaru had just risen.

The python shifted lazily, eyeing him, and Sakumo reached out. When they closed their eyes, head tilting in welcome, he stroked over the offered head and down the loose coils, then plucked Orochimaru’s book away and set it down with a ribbon marking his place. Orochimaru’s fingers were deftly working through his hair, and he sighed, relaxing into the gentle tugs.

He reached out after a few minutes and pulled his mate’s Flower off the tansu - his own rolled over and rocked back and forth a few times as he pulled them apart - and into his hands. Orochimaru made a soft sound of pleasure behind him, and Sakumo smiled, fingering one thick, satiny petal and admiring the rich colours - dark green stem and leaves, paler green fronds framing the bloom, vibrant purple petals bearing thin, barely visible golden lines like sunrays spiking out from the even deeper purple centre - before he closed his eyes.

Orochimaru used slow, meticulous strokes to comb the knots from his hair, interspersed with the occasional feathery kiss to his neck or shoulder, and Sakumo gradually relaxed more and more, hands eventually stilling as he cradled his mate’s Flower between them.

He remembered Orochimaru’s soft look as he offered the Flower to Sakumo’s hands for the first time; not really hesitant, barely even cautious, but vulnerable and warm. Sakumo had taken it eagerly, taken _him_ , all but wrapping himself around his mate and cradling the Flower close. Orochimaru had been easy in his embrace, twining himself just as clingily around Sakumo in turn.

When Sakumo had the thought to return the gesture, to offer his Flower - it had belonged to his lovely mate for weeks, but he had held himself back, uncertain if Orochimaru would _want_ to keep it, and more than willing to wait until they had spoken on it - Orochimaru had accepted it with a kiss to the spiky petals that had made Sakumo’s knees weak. Even before he had seen the look in Orochimaru’s brilliant eyes, cast up to meet his own over the white petals.

Sakumo swallowed, a shiver sliding down his spine as Orochimaru tied off his braid and tugged at it lightly before releasing it.

“What’s on your mind, wolf-heart?” Orochimaru asked, leaning close and nuzzling his cheek from behind.

Sakumo sighed, lips curving, and turned his hands upwards with Orochimaru’s Flower still held between them. “Our cub’s gift has put me in mind of when _we_ did just the same.” he said with a low hum.

Orochimaru laughed and reached down, trailing a fingertip over his own Flower, then caressing up over the heel of Sakumo’s hand to the inside of his wrist. “Pleasant memories.” he said as he drew back, straightening, and Sakumo sighed and rose with a languid stretch. “All those years ago.”

Sakumo turned to return Orochimaru’s Flower to its place alongside his own, then paused, a moan catching in his throat at the throb of warmth blooming in his chest. Orochimaru smiled at him around the Flower he held, brushing another gentle kiss to the petals, then letting his _tongue_ out to slide in the gentlest caress over them.

Sakumo moved closer, just managing to put the Flower he held back on the tansu, and Orochimaru hummed, returning Sakumo’s to its place alongside, then stepping in against him.

“Shall we revisit some of those old memories, wolf-heart?” Orochimaru asked, dipping his head and brushing a trail of kisses along Sakumo’s jaw.

Sakumo groaned, drawing his mate in more firmly against himself and nipping Orochimaru’s throat with possessive affection. “Always.” he groaned, and Orochimaru laughed, arching in his embrace and pressing against his body.

Sakumo grinned and stepped backwards, drawing Orochimaru along towards the prepared futon with him.

**Author's Note:**

> I know who _I_ had in mind that branch of dogwood blooms speaks for . . . who do you think it is?


End file.
